Frank Pucci, Matthew Caruso, Jacob Stos, on the power play; and Noah Boman, into an empty net; scored for the Canucks, who improved to 1-2-0-2 against Ancaster and to 26-10-0-4 overall.

“We played hard,” Canucks owner-head coach Frank Pietrangelo said. “Ancaster has got a good hockey team, they’ve been up there all year and we’ve had four one-goal games against them, and have been on the losing end of all of them.

“I guess it was our turn tonight to turn the tables, and the boys showed up.”

Kyle Kennery, power play; and Benjamin Woodhouse replied for the Avalanche, who were outshot 26-23.

Niagara Falls went 1-for-4 on the power play; Ancaster, 1-for-6.

Niagara Falls moved to within four points of the Avalanche, 29-8-1-1, for third place in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Golden Horseshoe Conference.

Pucci netted his 32nd goal of the season 11 seconds into the game.

“It was big,” Pietrangelo said. “I told our coaches before the game we haven’t scored in the first two periods in four games against these guys.

“It was big, I told our coaches before the game we haven’t scored in the first two periods in four games against these guys.

“To come out and score first shift to get up on them was big for our club.”

Kennery tied the game at one-all with 1:02 remaing in the opening period.

Niagara Falls kept the pressure on the Avalanche in the second, and the Canucks were rewarded with a 2-1 lead thanks to Caruso’s 17th goal of the year.

Again, the teams entered the break tied after Woodhouse scored the equalizer.

In the third the Canucks would take the lead for good. Stos scored his 12th of the season for the game winner and Boman’s 17th of the campaign rounded out the scoring.

Pucci is the league’s scoring leader with 32 goals and 39 assists for 71 points, two more than Jack Scanlan of the Stratford Warriors, 22 goals and 47 assists.

“He’s the best player in the league, he does everything for us,” Pietrangelo said, praising the play of the four-year veteran.

“We know how valuable Frank is.”

Pucci knows how big this win is for the Canucks going forward.

“We needed those two points obviously, we want the two or three position,” he said. “They have a game in hand on us, and we play them one more time so that extra two points is big if we continue to win.”